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Pray without ceasing.1
Turn your thoughts into prayers. If you want to know how to pray more and how to get more things done, transform your thoughts into prayers. Think of all the things you do throughout the day, all the things you think about, all the thoughts that run through your head! So many thoughts—sometimes running wild! Now ask yourself, where are your thoughts running?
Watch your thoughts. Consider your thoughts. Size them up, take stock, analyze, weigh them up, and ask yourself: What are your thoughts accomplishing? Where are they going? Are they headed in the right direction or in the wrong direction?
How do your thoughts fare? Are they accomplishing good? Or are they sitting idle? Are you transforming your thoughts into power that will bring about changed lives and improved conditions for loved ones in their hour of need?
If you want to do more in prayer, consider your thoughts. Thoughts are real things. They can bless or they can curse; they can help or they can hinder. They can provide comfort and peace, or they can emit emptiness—all according to how you turn them.
By turning your thoughts into prayers, you turn them into creative power. If you turn your thoughts into prayers, they will accomplish that which is good.
Burden or blessing—to which do your thoughts attain? Are they helping to sustain a soul in need?
If you want to know how to accomplish more, how to meet the need in prayer, watch your thoughts. Evaluate your thoughts. Organize your thoughts. Ask yourself, “What are my thoughts accomplishing?” Are you directing your thoughts to where they can do some good and make a positive difference?
Thoughts are powerful, because thoughts can be turned into prayers, and prayer is powerful! If you want to know how to pray more, consider your thought power.
I have equipped each of you with this great gift, therefore learn to use it. Learn to wield it. Learn to convert your thoughts into powerful prayers. Thought power turned into prayer will materialize into My blessings, My intervention, My protection, power and strength, My healing balm poured out on those for whom you care.
If you will learn how to direct your thoughts in the way of powerful prayer, in this lies one of the secrets to great strength, great victory, and great accomplishment.
Thoughts are always running through your head, but it's how you direct them that makes a difference. Catch some of your thoughts, bring them before Me, and commit what you are thinking about into My hands.
All day long, no matter what else you're doing, you're thinking thoughts, but it's how you direct them and filter them that can make a difference. What you decide to do with those thoughts and where you direct them is what counts. Send them on to where they can genuinely accomplish something.
In the solitude of your thoughts you can turn them to prayers. Even in the busyness of your schedule, what you do with your thoughts can make a difference. Even in the course of your busy day, you can take the thoughts that come to you as a result of what you see all around you, and you can turn those thoughts into prayers. Therefore you should not just reserve this habit for your quiet times or prayer times, but you should try to get in the habit of capturing your thoughts and turning them into prayers at anyopportunity.
You can take some of the thoughts that come to you as a result of watching the news, watching a movie, listening to music, talking with others, or having exercise, and you can direct those thoughts to Me, turn them to Me in prayer. Capture some of your thoughts and make them work for you and others for good through prayer.
If you let the sights and sounds around you trigger positive thought patterns, by turning them into prayers to Me, you'll be able to intercede for those in need.
You can choose how you want these outside variables to influence your thoughts. You can catch the sights and sounds around you and allow them to run wild in your head, or you can catch the sights and sounds and bring them to Me. Shoot up an instant prayer. Turn them into prayers, turn them into good, turn them into something that will last.
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Although I know you won't always achieve the goal of turning your thoughts into prayers, I knew if I gave you the challenge to try and reach the goal, even if only partway, it's worth it!—Because it's progress, and you'll be doing much better and accomplishing more by activating the power of heaven than if you don't ever try.
So try it! You'll like it! And it will certainly do you and others a lot of good. But don't worry or get under condemnation if all of a sudden you realize you haven't been praying. Don't criticize or condemn yourself, because I won't be criticizing or condemning you. I'm happy and thankful for each prayer that you do pray. So don't worry about all the prayers that you forget to pray or don't pray. Don't let the Enemy point out your lack and criticize you for what you haven't done. Look on the bright side and focus on the prayers you did pray and the good that you have done, and that you can do more good through your prayers tomorrow!
Remember the anecdote about the man who told the Devil to stop criticizing his small potatoes. The Devil was hanging around being negative and murmuring to the farmer, trying to get the farmer to murmur against God for his small potato crop that year. But the farmer just told the Devil that he was thankful for his Father's small potatoes, because when the Devil was in control he didn't have any potatoes!2
So when the Enemy comes around to criticize and condemn you for not praying enough, just tell him that I'm thankful for your prayers, because if he were in control, you wouldn't be praying any prayers!
Originally published October 1997. Updated and republished September 2012.
Read by Simon Gregg.
1 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
2 We are told that Billy Bray, the Cornish miner, was noted far and near for his piety. One year his potato crop was almost a failure. As he was digging the potatoes, Satan said, “There, Billy, isn’t that poor pay for serving your Father the way you have all this year? Just see those small potatoes!” “Ah, Satan,” said Billy, “at it again talking against my Father? Bless His name! Why, when I served you I did not have any potatoes at all. I thank my dear Father for small potatoes.” Those who thank God for the little things soon find their blessings multiplying. (From Good Thots 2, page 1609, #172.)
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